Perspectives

"You can see this bubble coming out of their heads that says, 'He's gone crazy'."Former British prime minister Tony Blair on what happens when his friends wish him "good luck" at his new post as Middle East envoy for the United States, Europe, Russia and the United Nations

"I said I was a friend of America, and with that, they elected me—not bad."French president Nicolas Sarkozy, commenting on his election campaign during a meeting with the French American Business Council in Washington, D.C.

"People are buying guns more than ever."Beirut arms dealer Abu Jamil, whose business is booming amid rising tension before Lebanon's presidential election. Last year he charged around $500 for an AK-47 rifle —now the price is $900

"While technologically and financially you are giants, morally you are pygmies."United States Congressman Tom Lantos, dressing down Yahoo Inc. executives for their company's cooperation with Chinese authorities to identify at least two Chinese dissidents who are now in prison

"We cannot let our country become the stage for dirty geopolitical escapades by other countries."Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, blaming Russia for his country's state of emergency after police battled protestors calling for his resignation and he shut down the leading opposition TV station

Quotation sources from top to bottom: New York Times (2), Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times